BID TO BLOCK DUAL CANDIDATES FAILS

The Conservatives only support rules allowing candidates for the National Assembly for Wales to run for both constituency seats and on party lists because they do not have enough qualified people, Labour suggested today.

Shadow Wales minister Nia Griffith moved a fresh attempt to block dual candidacies in the Wales Bill at Report Stage. Labour has had previous attempts rebuffed at earlier stages of the Bill.

Labour's new amendment - which would have deleted a clause from the Bill allowing dual candidacies for the first time since 2006 - was defeated 278 to 196, majority 82.

Ms Griffith had told the Commons: "There is a very bizarre argument put forward in favour of this... dual candidacy - that if you do not allow dual candidacy then the small parties in Wales may struggle to find sufficient candidates of any quality.

"But if they expect the electorate to take them seriously as parties that really could help form a government in Wales, then they need to demonstrate they can find enough additional candidates to field on each of the five regional lists.

"Could this problem of finding candidates be something to do with who these parties are and what they believe in? Could it be that young people in Wales are not rushing to put themselves forward as Conservative candidates?"

Former Wales Secretary Peter Hain said dual candidacies were an "abuse of democracy".

In earlier report stage debates, Plaid Cymru's economic spokesman Jonathan Edwards insisted the Scottish should dismiss the three main pro-Union parties' promise of more devolved powers, including over tax-setting, as "jam tomorrow" that will be reneged on if Scotland votes No.

He said: "Now all the unionist parties are falling over themselves to offer increased devolution in Scotland despite having previously said that increased devolution should not be an option in the referendum.

"How they must be kicking themselves now not to have that third option on the ballot paper.

"Who will believe a word they say when they promise their jam tomorrow?

Exchequer Secretary David Gauke outlined technical changes to the Bill relating to the tax status of an individual relevant to the calculation of social security benefits.

He said: "The potential hardship that a delay in the calculation of entitlements would cause to individuals makes it essential that we make these amendments to cater for such circumstances."